Ups and Downs
by XShiori-chanX
Summary: Because of a 'gift', Namine is rejected from the social populus at her school. She can manage, but what happens when one of four extremely handsome, internationally famous boys takes an interest to her? Social disorder, that's what. previously OTOLI
1. First Day

**Alright. Well, some of you are probably going to look down and read, all anxiousy and stuff, and I'm going to kick back and laugh at you, Cuz your gonna come back up to this authors note and be like, WTF?**

**Yes, this is On The Outside Looking In, my first ever fanfic. As Some might know, *cough* **_**Experienced Keyblade Master**_** *cough* I deleted the original version cuz I swear, I absoluetly HATED, DESPISED, **_**ABHORED**_** that damn story. But, Since many of you seemed to like it, I'm reposting, making small changes here and there, just to make you, (and me) a little bit happier inside. **

**Enjoy the crap I lay out before you.**

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**Chapter One — First Day**

I sighed as the wind blew my golden blond hair out of my face. I wore a plain school outfit, complete with a matching tie and a plain white blouse with the school emblem on the chest pocket. It was freshman year at Twilight Town High and I was beyond nervous. I took one last breath as an eighth grader, and opened the doors to the large, clean, white high school.

I was a bit of a loner, (okay, I'm lying to myself, I _WAS_ a loner,) and dubbed a freak at my old middle school for keeping to myself. I didn't mind. I was perfectly fine with who I was, and I was happy with what I had. All I needed to survive in this personal hell known as school was a schedule and my sketch pad.

I loved to draw. But the things I drew… well, I wasn't a freak for wanting to be alone. I had what my mother called a "special gift". I could draw the past, present, and future memories of others. I didn't know how, I just did. When people learned my secret, my social life went downhill from there. People stayed away from me. I locked myself up, and I told myself never to get close to anyone, because it would only end in pain. High school was just another four years of sitting alone, at the "freak" table, drawing people's memories alone.

As I walked down the halls, freshmen from my old middle school were scowling and whispering to each other. I knew it was about me, but I didn't care, I was so used to it. I was immune. I just kept on walking, head held high. As I passed a couple of benches, set up around a table like a lounge, I heard whistling. I looked up, alarmed by the noise, and saw four senior boys gawking at me and winking.

"Hey there gorgeous! You want to hang with us? The name's Seifer," one said, trying to flirt.

I blushed, but quickly recovered.

"Leave me alone," I mumbled, storming off. My mother always said I was a beautiful young girl, and that I would have boys drooling all over me in seconds. I had shoulder length, deep golden hair parted to one side, cerulean blue eyes, and a very lean figure. My mom says I'm "eye candy". The only flaw with my having good looks was that I never wanted attention in the first place. Everyone will just dub me a freak again anyways.

I checked my schedule one more time and headed for my locker, number 382. I dumped my cheap, worn out books inside, leaving me with my Algebra I book, my Biology book, and my trusty sketchpad. I sighed again, as a girl from my middle school walked by, knocking my things all over the floor as she yelled "_Freak!_"

Oh, I hated those low life wannabes.

I took another deep breath, ignoring the laughter bouncing off the hallway walls. I knelt down to the ground, colored pencils and erasers scattered everywhere, and slowly started the process of picking my things up.

"Here, let me help you," an attractive male voice said out of nowhere, and I saw a figure crouch down and help me gather my things. I noticed that the laughter died down as soon as he spoke, which I found odd. He gathered up my textbooks, stacked them in a nice pile, and handed them to me. I continued picking up my colored pencils, snatching my sketchpad before someone else did.

"Thanks…" I mumbled, taking the books he held out to me. I didn't bother looking at him. Why? Two reasons.

One: If he was from that drab middle school I went to last year, he would recognize me as the freak and dump my things again, forcing me to pick them up _again_. I only had five minutes before first period started, and I had a perfect attendance record to maintain, even if it was the first day of school.

Two: If he was from a different middle school, he would just try to score a date with me, like all of the other boys my age, learn my secret, and then I'm a freak again.

Life sucks, doesn't it?

"No problem!" he replied, I could almost hear the smile spread on his face. "Well, then I'll see you around then!" I stayed silent as he walked away. He didn't mean what he just said. I felt the feeling of being fake and guilty wash through his memory. Just like normal, a fake smile, a vain attempt to help the freshman.

As I looked up, everyone was staring at me.

"What?" I asked, irritated, waiting for the insults to be slung at me.

Yuna, one of the first taunters to ever be introduced into my messed up life, spoke first.

"Did you know who that was?" she asked, her jaw dropped open in disbelief.

"No," I said. "I didn't even look at him."

"You are a freak! That was _the_ Roxas Hikari of _the_ Destiny Islands Blitzball team! One of the four youngest Blitzball superstars ever!" she half shrieked, bewildered. "That means that they chose this school to go to!" she shrieked again, but this time overjoyed.

"But he talked to you. The Freak."

Yuna's back.

"Oh," was all I said. I've heard of them before on a TV program.

_Hello, this is breaking news live from the Blitzball championship. It seems that our four young superstars are going to settle down and choose one high school in the area! Young girls, be ready for these four hot boys to invade your school!_

"_So Riku, Why are you deciding to return to the average boring life of a teenager?"_

_The taller, slightly older platinum haired one stepped forward. "Well, speaking for the team, we all needed a break from the sport. We've been playing since we were little, and we haven't really had that great of a teenage lifestyle. So we're hoping to make some friends and just live life."_

"_Sora, Roxas, Hayner, do you agree?"_

"_Totally," a spiky headed brunette chirped. "We heard that some of our childhood friends are all clustered together in one school, so we're going to go surprise them." _

"_So, you know who you are, look out!" the messy blonde shouted, snaking an arm around the last blonde, who stood broody and silent._

_"Well, you've heard it from the source. I'm Quistis Trepe, Dateline, TLT news."_

Hayner, Sora, Roxas, and Riku. The four amazing Blitzball team championship winners. Big whoop. I've never seen any of them before, I never took interest in these sort of things.

This one little incident started a rumor, and that rumor spread like wildfire through the entire school. I couldn't walk three steps without someone whispering cruel things about how I hate Blitzball, Roxas, blah, blah, blah. Like I said before, it never bothered me. I just kept my head held high, and rushed to Algebra, where I could hide away in a far corner.

As I rushed into the Algebra classroom, I was shot murderous glares from all the girls. Wow. Rumors spread fast.

"It's that weird girl who actually talked to the Roxas Hikari and didn't even care!" they whispered amongst themselves. It was too easy to get what I wanted. I smiled at the girls, who flinched and burst into angry whispers again.

I just ignored everything, walked to the very back of the classroom, and plopped down in the desk closest to the window. The teacher walked in, Mr. Uchida, and explained the basic rules of the classroom. No note passing, no talking when the teacher is talking, et cetera. It was all the same. He gave us some free time for the rest of the period, but still rambled on about nonsense.

As Mr. Uchida dragged on, I took out my sketchpad and flipped through my drawings. The beach, the large clock tower in the center of town, some of Yuna's embarrassing memories, (I 'm saving those for the perfect time,) and of course, my favorite picture. A boy, about my age, fifteen years old. I knew that he was just a face, a drawing, but I loved him. He had gravity defying dirty blond spiky hair, pointing mostly towards the left, deep, deep, ocean blue eyes that you could get lost in, and he looks so sad, so confused. It's a future memory of my own. How do I know this? Well, I just turn the page. He's smiling now, the cutest smile you ever will see, but next to him is a happy, smiling, me. I know for a fact that it's in my future, but I will never know when it will happen.

_I hope soon_, I thought, staring out the window.

My trance was broken by a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see what this person wanted from me, and saw a bright happy redhead smiling at me.

"Hi! I'm Kairi! I transferred here from Radiant Garden," she said, holding her hand out for me to shake. She had auburn hair, and had blue-violet eyes. She was pretty.

She wasn't scowling at me like the others were; maybe she was immune to the rumors. I couldn't help but smile back at her, her positive attitude was like a virus.

"Hello Kairi, my name's Naminé," I said and shook her hand. As soon as I let go, I went back to staring out the window. _I can't get close to anyone, _I thought.

"Hey, why are all the girls glaring at you?" Kairi pressed, poking my shoulder. I turned to face the class, catching about four people turning around at the last second. I sighed, smiling sadly towards Kairi.

"Nothing, just a middle school grudge," I answered her. Her eyesbrows furrowed up in disgust as she shot a murderous look at everyone's back.

"Well that's stupid. What are they holding a grudge about?" she asked. I was starting to think of escape plans, my thought train dissecting blueprints for excuses. When nothing came, I just shrugged.

"I'm not too sure, but I guess I did something that made them mad," I answered coolly, an obvious lie. Kairi bought it, shaking her head and mentally calling them all idiots.

I was starting to like this Kairi character. She was slightly air-headed, oblivious, and all in all wonderfully kind. Her memories consisted of nothing brutal, menacing or frightening, all just happy feelings of love and joy. Her smile was true, her eyes sparkling, and the message continuously running through her head was this: _"I hope I can be friends with her…"_

"Well then, I guess they're just jealous of how adorable you are," she joked, giving me a lopsided grin and a giggle as a blush spread across my face. Maybe I could let her get close, just her… Maybe I could have my first friend since kindergarten. "Do you want to sit with me at lunch?"

I thought about it. There was a chance that such a nice girl like Kairi would accept me for who I was, but there was also the chance that she would be disgusted by my very presence, sinking into the group of chanting, rumor-spreading witches that wanted me to die. After some minutes of thinking, I nodded me head to myself and smiled.

"Sure," I answered her softly. Kairi's mouth opened a little in happiness, and she grinned broadly.

"Awesome! You can meet my sister Xion," she chirped, just as the bell rang. Kairi gathered her belongings in a rush, turning to send a wave.

"Bye, Naminé! I'll see you at lunch!" she called before dissolving into the crowd. A small smile spread across my face without permission as I stuffed my notebook back into my bag.

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**Chapter edited by Lycoris Calantha, (my new beta reader, :D) as of Saturday, May 29, 2010.**


	2. Roxas Hikari

**Chapter Two — Roxas Hikari**

Exiting the classroom, I shook off all of the violent stares stabbing into my back. I was a void, an emotionless being, resisting hate and welcoming good. Now hateful beings, begone! Leave me and my 'Gift' alone! Leave!

I entered Biology chanting quietly in my head, my normal thought process having gone AWOL as I erased my feelings. I noticed a seat in the back crowded by girls, so, as a precaution, I completely ignored it, taking the seat in the front row, closest to the door. An easy escape, if needed.

Being the bored teenager I was, I just sighed and leaned into my palm, staring blankly at the board, letting my mind wander. Many grudge-holding girls thumped me (hard) on the back, cackling evilly like the little witches they were.

I imagined them in black ragged clothing with big noses and warts to ease the pain of being hated.

The teacher came bursting in, drunk, might I add, shouting names at a random order and stabbing his finger at the table crowded with lovesick girls. They whined, shuffling off to random seats, continuing to chat as the teacher took a swig from his 'water'.

"Alrighty, Class. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, I like rum, and I've got your seatin' charts. Savvy? All yous come up here and take _-hic!-_ one," he called in a loud voice, swaying slightly. He fell into his chair, watching as half the class trooped to the front and grabbed the piece of paper. I waited until there was an opening before sliding through the mob and going for the kill. I glanced at the paper, which held tiny drawings of desks with names written over them, and maneuvered over to the third seat in the third row from the front. Sighing, I buried my face in my arms and waited for the noise to die down.

"We meet again," a very familiar male voice murmured, and I heard him slide into the seat in front of me. Slowly, as if sleepy, I lifted my face and opened one eye, peeking at him.

I almost did a double take, completely shocked at who I saw. It was him! The boy from the memories, the boy in my future! He was smiling kindly, even though it didn't reach his eyes, which were a dark shade of beryl, a color that didn't get any kind of justice in my drawings. He wore the same blue and white school uniform as everyone else, but also wore a checkered bracelet and two rings, all black and white. His hair was a spiky mess, pointing mostly to the left. Just like the drawing. It was a bit frightening at first, but then my heart skipped a couple beats and I started to internally panic. I couldn't break away from his gaze, his warm, yet chilling soul-seeing gaze, and I could practically hear the growling coming from the other half of the female population. I blushed ferociously, embarrassed out of my wits, finally gaining the ability to tear away and stare down at my hands, letting my hair fall into my face.

"Hey, are you alright? You're kind of spacey," the boy remarked, a bit worried. I closed my eyes, not believing his tone; instead, I closed my mind off and began focusing in the last ten minutes of his life before he sat down next to me.

Recount the experience, recount…

He walked in, sat down. The girls flustered, he was trapped. Mr. Sparrow walks in, he got up. Grabs seating chart, sits in front of me…closing in on what I'm looking for…

"_It's that girl from earlier…the one that's different. Should I talk to her? Yeah, maybe…"_

"_Ok, this is getting kind of awkward…she's staring at me… but she doesn't recognize me? She has such pretty eyes…"_

I flushed again in embarrassment, shaking the memories out of my head. My eyes were pretty to him?

"Hello? Are you in there?" he called, and I opened my eyes to see the hand waving in front of my face. My blush worsened, and I heard the snickering from the girls around me.

"_She can't even talk to him, the loser."_

"_I guess she did care. It's not like she has a chance."_

If my face could get redder, it did.

"S-sorry…I blank out a lot," I lied nervously, bravely lifting my gaze up to meet his again. He smiled, this one reaching his eyes with a curious glint.

"No problem. I'm Roxas," he introduced. Roxas. Such a nice name, for such a pretty face—

Oh, wait! Oh my goodness, I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. Roxas Hikari, one of those Blitzball people who transferred here! The one I met in the hallway, the one who helped me out. He was talking to me? Freaky, strange, abnormal little me? What were the odds?

"Nice to meet you, Roxas. I'm Naminé," I said softly. He seemed to be testing it in his mind, before grinning; this time it didn't reach his eyes. He was being cautious, even if I was different from the other love-struck girls his age. I was a test to him, a guinea pig for his little experiment. He was using me to see if he could open up to people; if they could see the real him instead of the picture on a magazine.

"OK, class. I'll give yer a study break. Goo' night," Mr. Sparrow called, already slumping in his seat with his hat cocked over his eyes. Everyone stared at him, shrugging as we all heard the light snores escaping his lips. The girls around Roxas immediately swiveled in their seats to converse with him, but he was still facing me, straddling the back of his chair and staring with a curious gaze. I looked away, nervously putting my biology book away. It was silent between us, me staring at anywhere but his face, and him ignoring the conversational attempts brought on by the other girls and refusing to look away. Finally, I turned, a tad bit irritated.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," I blurted in annoyance. I gasped at myself in my head, mentally slapping myself silly for such a rude comment.

Roxas looked baffled, as if it was the first time he'd ever failed a quiz. "I'm sorry," he said, looking away.

I had thrown the rude comment at him and _he_ was apologizing? "No, No, _I'm_ sorry. I just have a lot on my mind," I said quickly, hoping to get back on good terms with him. He glanced back up at me through his lashes, obviously a little hurt, and I gave him a reassuring smile, although it felt like I was reassuring myself.

A girl beside Roxas spoke up.

"Hey, Roxas? Why are you talking to the freak?" she quipped, sending a sneer my way. I sighed and bowed my head. Thanks for ruining my chance at my future.

"It's rude to call people freaks," Roxas sniped back, defending me. My eyes shot up, surprised. The girl who spoke, a brunette with wavy brown hair, scoffed.

"But she is one. I bet she's brainwashing you into defending her with those stupid little magic tricks," she spat, glaring daggers at me. For once, the insult gave a hard blow to my self esteem, and I flinched. So I was a brainwasher now, huh?

"Selphie, it's not nice to call people freaks, and she's not brainwashing me. I'm talking to her out of my own free will," Roxas spoke coolly and evenly, his gaze hardening. I noticed this, and I stared at the argument silently.

"Why?" the girl, Selphie, whined. By now, half of the class was listening, all eyes on the three of us.

"Because I want to. I choose my own friends."

I looked up in utter disbelief, staring at Roxas as if he just confessed for murdering my mother. Friend? When was this established between us? We had a light, short conversation that could have made us not so acquainted acquaintances, but _friends? _That was downright odd.

The rest of the class agreed with me. Whispers broke out in murderous clusters, spreading through the room and eventually into the hall, where people in free period had stopped to eavesdrop. Those people had scurried along, most likely to dish the details to their friends.

Time started freezing for me as I tried to comprehend. Roxas Hikari. Boy in the drawing. Same person. Friend. The bell ringing. Walking into my next period. Spacing. Lunch.

"Naminé? Hey, Naminé!" Kairi's high soprano voice rang, pulling me out of my reverie. I smiled and walked over to her table, noticing the short black haired girl sitting next to her.

"This is my sister, Xion. She's actually adopted, but she's still my little Xi-Xi," she sang, introducing me. The raven haired girl shot an innocent pout to Kairi before holding her hand out. I shook it.

"Pleasure," I murmured, taking the seat across from them. Some laughter was heard from behind me, as expected.

"That's her? The one Roxas defended? She's a stick! Probably anorexic. He must have felt bad for her," they sniped, leering as they walked past. I closed my eyes and ignored them, sticking my foot out for the one who spoke. I gave a triumphant smirk when the toe of her heel caught on my ankle and she fell forward.

"Good one," Kairi whispered, watching the girl huff and walk away in embarrassment. I grinned.

I did notice the lack of girls surrounding the football team in the lunch line, and looking around, I realized why. Roxas, Sora, Hayner, and Riku had yet to arrive. I shrugged it off, deciding to enjoy the quiet.

"Where's Riku?" Xion asked her sister quietly, folding her hands anxiously in her lap. Kairi shrugged, stabbing a piece of macaroni.

"Beats me. Probably getting rampaged," Kairi answered. I pulled my abandoned lunch tray closer to me and played with the milk carton. Curiously, I looked Xion over, only to notice that she was biting her lip and glancing around the room as if we were all psychotic.

"Xion, are you alright?" I asked her quietly. She jumped in response, giving me a small smile.

"Yeah, sorry. I was doing it again, huh?" the raven haired girl asked, looking at Kairi. She nodded, moving on to her pile of squishy French fries.

"What's wrong?" I found myself asking.

"Xion was kidnapped when we were seven. Bad experience. Can't really trust people," Kairi said between bites. I nodded, sending a sympathetic look towards the smaller teenager. She shrugged in return, continuing to look over my shoulder to the door.

When her eyes lit up, and the entire cafeteria's peaceful silence was interrupted by mad squealing, I knew that the four 'superstars' had entered the building. Despite my better judgment, I swiveled around in my seat, staring past the throng of girls to see the four very tired boys pulling fake smiles, autographs, and pictures as they entered the cafeteria. Poor them. But not my problem.

When I turned back around, Kairi was jumping up and down in the bench, waving her arms around like a bird that couldn't fly. I stared at her strangely.

"Um…Kairi?" I tried asking, but she had climbed down and launched herself at someone.

"SORA!" she cried happily, and I turned around to see her hugging the brunette with gravity defying hair. Xion stood up as well, racing to the silver haired one, allowing him to snake an arm around her waist protectively. I sat there, dumbstruck, watching the happy couple that was on sugar start skipping around in circles. Xion and Riku returned to their seats.

"Aw, I missed you, buddy!" Kairi squealed, giggling as they tipped over dizzily. Sora gave a boyish laugh.

"I missed you too, Kai!" he chirped. They finally settled and sat back in their original seats, across from me.

I felt a giant question mark appear over my head, and I was certain everyone could see it. The girls who were glaring at me earlier were now glaring at Kairi and Xion, angrily whispering, writing death threats in their minds. I was still utterly confused, left with no explanation.

"Hey, Xion. Kairi." Oh, now _that_ voice sounded _very_ familiar…

"Hello, Roxas," Xion clarified quietly for me. I refused the urge to turn around, staring into my food without actually seeing it.

"Who's this?" the fourth and final voice that I assumed was Hayner, said, and I felt a large palm land on top of my head and start pushing me down. Squeaking in shock, I swatted the hand away, glaring.

"My name is Naminé, you twit. Don't touch me," I hissed. Hayner stepped back, lifting his hands up for protection. In the corner of my eye, Roxas glanced at me with that curious glint again.

"Ok, ok! Sheesh, it was a friendly pat on the head…" he complained, taking the seat next to me. Roxas took the other flank.

"Oh yeah, Sora, this is Naminé. I met her in first period." Kairi introduced. The one known as Sora gave a chipper smile and waved enthusiastically.

"I'm Riku," the platinum haired one who was holding Xion tightly said.

"Hayner!" the messy blonde who noogied me exclaimed, and I resisted the urge to punish him further.

"We've met," Roxas mumbled. I still refused to look at him, but I could feel the intense stare on my face.

Kairi and Sora were suddenly quiet, giving each other strange glances. Riku smirked in my direction, and Xion smiled. Hayner was the only one who remained unaffected, devouring his meal at mach speed. Frightened, I set my guard up and looked at the four of them.

"Why are you all staring at me like that…?" I asked, cautious. Kairi's devious grin broke loose, but she shrugged. Xion returned to staring at her food, and Riku just glanced away.

"Well, _Roxas_ is staring at you. It's kind of weird, since he's never taken a liking to girls before," Sora sneered, and Roxas jumped next to me, throwing his unopened milk carton at his head.

"Shut up," he muttered. Sora and Kairi cackled evilly.

I on the other hand, was blushing like crazy and staring into my lap. Was it possible…? Could he actually like someone like me? Or was I still just his science experiment? I wondered… so I closed my eyes and shut off my brain. I entered Roxas's memories once again, narrowing them down.

_That's the first time anyone's snapped at Hayner since Olette… so she _is_ different…_

_Kairi! My god, I wasn't staring. I was _observing_. But, knowing her, she's gonna try and play matchmaker again… you know, Naminé's kinda cute when she's blushing…_

My blush worsened even more. Why, why did he think such thoughts? Why was my mother right? Why, oh mighty God, why?

"Wait, you're 'Nobody Nami' right? Why do people hate you so much?" Riku spoke up, breaking the awkward tension. I lifted my head, shrugging.

"Some girls from my old school are holding a grudge against me," I mumbled. I knew it wouldn't be long until they saw through the lie, so I needed to create better reasons. Riku nodded in understanding.

"Well, they're gonna hate you more because you sitting with us," Sora said sadly.

"It's no big deal. I already got used to this kind of treatment, so no harm," I said, picking at my food and scowling in disgust.

"In class today, Selphie said something about brainwashing. What did she mean?" Roxas questioned. I stiffened; how was I gonna get out if this one? Think, think, think…

"Um…yeah…I'm not sure." Way to go, Namine. Beautifully delivered lie. Sarcasm is intended.

"Oh. Well they create some nasty rumors about you," Kairi whispered, and Xion nodded.

"But we'll be your friends!" Hayner finished. I looked at the large, strange group, smiling. It was the first time in a long time that I'd had friends. Even if Roxas was a slightly creepy emo-child, Xion was introverted, Riku was dark and menacing, Sora was a childish buffoon, Hayner was a cocky idiot, and Kairi was a scary overexcited fifteen year old, they made for a good bunch of devoted buddies who would stand by my side.

I've never had friends before.


	3. Neighbors?

**Chapter Three — neighbors?**

"Hey, do you want to join the dance committee?" Kairi suddenly asked me in our next class. She had been staring off into space for the longest time, and I guess she just couldn't bring herself to ask me this quickly.

"What do you do?" I asked. She smiled brightly, bringing her hands together in delight.

"We just help the ASB kids plan dances, set them up, and have clean up duty afterwards. It's like a 'get out of class for free' ticket," she explained in a whisper. The teacher was patrolling the rows, making sure we were doing something productive.

"Sounds interesting. But don't you need like…experience? Or maybe a vote?" I whispered back, flipping through my literature book like I was interested.

"Naw, I'm class president. I can say who comes and goes," Kairi finished, just as we we're silenced by the teacher of doom. She gave me a thumbs-up behind her back, and I smiled.

"So this is the dance committee? It's kind of… small."

It was. With Kairi, Xion, a girl named Olette, Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and that preppy cheerleader Selphie, the dance committee was officially completed with me. A total of eight people to plan dances, set them up, (and none of us looked very strong) and take them down. I wonder how this is going to work out.

"What is _she _doing here?" Selphie exclaimed as soon as I walked in with Kairi. Xion stuck her tongue out, skipping over to the center of the ASB room.

"She's a member," Kairi said defensively.

"Why is she a member?" Yuna asked, throwing a fake smile my way. I returned one, rolling my eyes behind her back.

"Because I said so. Be nice," Kairi chided with a pout. The others scowled to show their disgust but made room for my small frame.

"Ok, well, since this is the first day of school, we should think of plans for dances throughout the year. I'm a now person. So…first dance, Sadie Hawkins?" Olette proposed. She had dark brown pigtails and bright emerald eyes.

"Sadie Hawkins? Ew. Save that for the middle of the semester, when we get used to the boys." Selphie giggled. Olette looked a little deflated, her eyes cast down to a small calendar opened on her lap. She bounded up again, with just as much enthusiasm as before.

"All right then, how about a Friday the Thirteenth dance? It's in September, so it gives a month of getting used to 'the boys'," she spat the last words, using her fingers as air quotes for dramatic effect. Xion giggled silently as Selphie glared.

"That actually sounds amazing, 'Lette." Kairi said in an obnoxious tone, grinning maliciously. Selphie shot her glare in my direction, threatening me with eyes of the devil. I swore she looked to me for backup, but I was in no mood to argue with one of my haters.

"Well, Namine? You're the newbie, what do you think?" Yuna hissed, glaring daggers at Kairi. For a split second, the table seemed split in two, Kairi, Xion, Olette and I on one side, and Selphie, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine on the other. I didn't like picking favorites, but in truth I actually did like the idea of a Friday the Thirteenth dance. It was a very creative idea, and it sparked my inner inspiration.

"I like Olette's idea too," I mumbled quietly. Kairi's grin grew as she sneered at Selphie.

"Well then, it's settled. A Friday the Thirteenth dance on September thirteenth, and a Sadie Hawkins some time after." she exclaimed cheerfully.

"How about on Halloween? Maybe we can have a masquerade ball." Xion quipped, and for once the entire table lit up with slightly interested nods. A masquerade… another sight for beautiful inspiration.

"All right, three dances down. Maybe we should talk budget," Rikku, the more eccentric and happy-go-lucky character from the trio across from me, proposed. She slid her thumb and index finger together, back and forth, to symbol money.

"Well, we can't go over five hundred, unless we pay ourselves," Yuna added in. Kairi looked thoughtful, so Olette spoke up.

"We can recycle the decorations we buy for the Friday the Thirteenth dance."

At this, I was thoroughly impressed. Olette was a really smart, creative person, and she seemed to be the key to the many masterpieces I was sure to draw. I smiled fondly at her, and she smiled back.

"Well then! That settles it. We're all done for today then?" Kairi asked, now perked up. Everyone nodded enthusiastically, grabbing their things. "We'll meet here every Wednesday and Friday, starting next week!"

* * *

After the strange meeting with the dance committee, I started my long, tiresome walk home. Okay, I'm lying. It was about twenty minutes away, but for someone like me who couldn't walk on a flat, stable surface without finding _something_ to trip on, it was like a walk to my grave.

The streets of Twilight Town were always peaceful and safe, and trees would sprout over walls and fences to add some lush green colors to the orange and yellow sunset. The streets were never crowded, and for as long as I've been here, there has never been any type of car accident. Of course, unlike Market Street, Sunset Hill was always more of a picnic area, so it had to be serene.

I hopped up the steps and landed skillfully on the tram station, my book bag dangling lightly on my shoulder as I dug through it for my pass. I showed the lady behind the counter, and boarded the train.

Twilight Town was always using a system of trams as a source of transportation for the residents. The trams led to everywhere in town, up to the city limit. My stop would be Tram Common, or better known as Market Street.

The sliding doors opened with a whooshing sound, and I was greeted with the hustle and bustle of voices and trampling footsteps that was Market Street. This part of town was forever crowded, lined with two-story apartment complexes and department stores everywhere you looked. I was dragged into the ocean of panicking shoppers, letting them guide my way to the large hole in the wall.

I know. Random. But one day, some random kid decided to play with some fireworks near the tall border that protected the town. He blew a giant gaping hole in the wall, and behind it there was a beautiful forest, filled with all sorts of trees from around the world. My father led the first hiking adventure trip through the maze of timber, and it was there that he discovered a large, monumental clearing, so perfect for houses that they immediately began building. Here, a short distance away, is the higher, classier version of Destiny Hills mansions, without the paparazzi. (A/N: Beverly Hills, Kingdom Hearts style)

Every mansion was regal, lavish, and towered over you like a monstrous demon. Unfortunately, because of the expensive furnishings and pulchritudinous architecture, it was a common spot for burglaries and break-ins. My own home was close to the original forest trail, the tallest mansion above all.

I slowly wandered up the unpaved man-made trails, still growing wildflowers and shrubs, and passed the old, deserted mansion that stood demolished and broken next to mine. It hadn't been occupied for years, since old man Carls died. To my intense surprise, there were many people dressed in sweaty T-shirts and baseball caps carrying large pieces of furniture through the open doorway. Some people were restoring the paint on the worn out exterior, while others were hacking weeds down in the front lawn, which could only mean one thing: neighbors.

Narrowing my eyes at the hard working strangers, I sulked up the grassy front lawn of my own home and entered.

"Mom! I'm home!" I called, my voice ricocheting off of the walls and returning to my ears. A woman with slightly long indigo hair popped her head out from around the corner, smiling.

This is my mother, Rinoa Heartily Leonheart. You could say she's the reason for my abnormal memory manipulation power; she's a world renowned sorceress, who had been banished from her home land. Her hair is long and silky smooth, always left down till it skimmed the base of her neck, and her eyes were the same shade of crystal sapphire as mine. She was currently wearing her work clothes, which consisted of black slacks and a black and white formal button-up T-shirt. She came towards me, brandishing a spatula.

I removed my shoes and stacked them neatly by the door. "Before you ask, school was fine," I mumbled.

Mom gave a sheepish grin. "Well, it's my baby's first day of high school! I need to ask. Did you make any friends?" she asked hopefully. My mother knew of my abilities, and she constantly worried over me.

"Actually, I did. Three girls, Kairi, Xion, and Olette, and those four famous kids." You know, the Blitzball stars?" I stated casually. Mother gasped in surprise, her grin spreading, and she looked like she was about to start crying.

"You made some friends? Oh God, thank you!" she cried enthusiastically, catching me in a hug and refusing to let go. I struggled momentarily before hugging her back.

"There, there, mother," I cooed gently. Sometimes, she gets really overwhelmed, in case you haven't already noticed.

"Oh, I'm just so happy, Nami! You haven't had friends since your father and Zexion went off to the war!"

Zexion is my older brother by two years. I love him like no other, but unfortunately, he signed up for the war in Hollow Bastion three years ago, and I haven't seen him since. He's introverted, creepy, and a bit of a know-it-all, but to me, those are all of the factors that made him special. He used to protect me from the stares and whispers, and I even had a couple 'friends'. I didn't know they pitied me back then, but as soon as Zexion stopped coming to school, all of them left, and joined the big circle of haters that I have accumulated. A month after my brother was gone, I shut myself out from the rest of the world.

"Mom, stop smothering me!" I complained, pushing the older woman off. She grinned, twirling around in a circle like a lovesick fool.

"Oh, by the way. We have some new neighbors, honey!" she chirped. "Why don't you go say hello? They've got some nice sons, twins, and you could really use a boyfriend!"

"Mom!" I protested, blushing. She clapped her hands together, walking back to where I was standing.

"It's settled, then. Go on over there and take this with you, as a welcome gift!" She handed me a small cookie jar with Cookie Monster pictures all over it and pushed me back out the door.

I have a feeling this was all a set up.

Sighing in defeat, I literally dragged my feet across the grass, passing all of the sweaty workers who were flickering in and out of my line of vision, and knocked on the door.

"Why are you knocking? Come on in!" a voice called. I gulped, pulled my head up, and went in.

Inside, right by the door, was a beautiful brunette with sparkling ruby eyes. She looked harmless enough, wearing a black uniform and holding a clip board, but as I watched, her temper seemed to start getting off hand. She started yelling at the butler she was speaking to, and then punched the wall, with every ounce of power I could see in her body. The house shook from the blow, and a picture fell somewhere far away. I gulped again as she turned her menacing glare on me.

Instantly, the bloodlust in her eyes flip-flopped in to cheerful, welcoming orbs of sunshine.

"Oh, well hello there! And who are you?" she asked sweetly. I stiffened, bowing to hide my terror.

"N-Naminé Leonheart, Miss. I-I live next door," I stuttered nervously. The lady nodded, grinning.

"So you're the daughter Rinoa told me about! Well you certainly are adorable. I'll bet my boys would love you," she cooed.

Definitely a set up.

Blushing, I held the cookie jar out for her. "It's nice to m-meet you, Miss."

"Please, none of this 'Miss' business! Call me Tifa," she said, waving her hands around. "Boys! There's someone I want you to meet! Get down here!"

"U-uh…Miss Tifa, That's really unnecessary—"

"Naminé?"

I looked to my right, and standing in the doorway holding a rather large portrait was none other than Roxas and Sora. My eyes widened in dismay, wanting nothing more than to just turn around and sprint down the street.

_Definitely_ a set up!

"So you've met?" Tifa asked suspiciously. Sora nodded, and the twins set the picture down.

"We met at school," Sora replied, grinning. Roxas gave me that suspicious but curious look.

"Well, what a coincidence! Roxas, Sora, Naminé, I guess I'll leave you all alone." Tifa grinned slyly, addressing each of us with a nod, before grabbing the cookie jar from my hands and stalking off to scream at another worker.

"What are you doing here?" Sora asked curiously.

"I live next door!" I hissed in a low voice. Roxas groaned, running a hand through his hair in frustration. My eyes narrowed.

"What's wrong with that?" I snapped at him. He jumped, looking at me in bewilderment.

"Nothing," he mumbled, turning away and running his hand through his hair again. I huffed.

"If you have a problem with me, spit it out," I prodded. For some reason, seeing his frustration set my temper on edge; normally, I would brush it off and get on with life. But right now? Ugh…

"I said nothing!" he shouted, defending himself. I scowled, crossing my arms.

"G-guys…hey, no need to fight…" Sora suggested lightly, but of course, he was ignored.

"Whatever. I'm leaving," I announced, sticking my tongue out at the other blonde. He returned the gesture, pouting.

"Way to be mature, guys." Sora mumbled. He was already sulking back to the oversized portrait. I stomped my way back to the door, fuming like an angry cat.

"Hey," a chilling voice called, and my spine prickled as I slowly turned around.

Lurking in the shadows of a small tree, a tall blonde with a full disarray of spiky hair stood ominous and sneakily, as if waiting to ambush me. I let out a little squeak, then bowed to show respect.

"U-um…I-I'm Naminé from next door…" I stuttered nervously, gulping down a huge lump that had formed in my throat.

"Relax. I'm not a psychotic serial killer. I was just wanted to know what you did to make my son so angry," the form said. I gulped again, stiffening.

As his question tumbled in my mind like clothes in a dryer, I began feeling like a complete idiot. I just snapped at two of my new friends for no apparent reason; just because Roxas ran his hands through his hair. I wouldn't call that temper snapping, but for some reason, it just happened. I was suddenly overcome with the desire to bite his head off. I wonder why?

After the long pause from my troubled thoughts, I blushed and bowed again. "I-I'm sorry, sir. That was my fault; I was mad at him first."

"And why were you mad?" he asked, emotionless.

"I…I don't know."

The man seemed to devour that answer, breaking down every syllable and measuring my tone. Another awkward silence filled the air as I watched him stare off into space with an unreadable expression.

My thoughts were setting a course for an unstoppable train wreck, so I paused, closed my eyes, and looked into my mind for the answers. I pushed my mental boundary forward, specifically looking for a certain blonde's memories, drinking them up once I found them.

_She lives next door? Is this some kind of joke? Just great, now the first girl who ends up being different from all the others is stalking me…_

_Why is she so defensive? I didn't even say anything. What did I do?_

_Ok, she's seriously getting on my nerves. What the Hell did I do wrong? I never said I had a problem with her! Sheesh, I got her all riled up, and I'll bet she hates me now. When I finally believed I made a somewhat normal friend._

_I wonder what was wrong?_

I sighed, bringing myself back to the present. Of course he thinks I hate him now. Why was I being so stupid? What unseen force compelled me to be so cruel and short tempered? Why did this one boy—who just happened to appear in every picture I have ever drawn - have that kind of effect on me?

"Excuse me," I mumbled in a quiet tone, bowing to the man and scurrying out the door.

* * *

"Did you meet the twins? Were they nice? Good looking? Your type?" My mother asked, assaulting me with questions galore as soon as I stepped back onto the threshold. It was as if she was standing by the door the whole time, waiting for me.

"Yes mom, I met them at school. They're those two boys on that famous Blitzball team." I mumbled. My mood had already been deflated like a balloon; I wanted nothing more than to be alone in my room. My mother, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to interrogate me on the irrelevant.

"Oh! Famous boys, eh? Well, if they're cute, I'd go for them!" she pushed, winking. She was still swinging a spatula around wildly, and I couldn't help but flinch away from the weapon. I didn't get my clumsiness from my father.

"Mom, what are you making for dinner?" I found myself asking, already inching my way closer to the stairs. My mother finally stopped spinning and grinned.

"Pancakes!" she cheered. I sighed. Of course, breakfast for dinner.

"Okay. Call me when it's done!" I shouted, retreating to the inner sanctum of my room.

* * *

My room is like a holy altar of purity. No colors, all white, with a feeling of freedom. Plush carpets, clean walls, high slanted ceilings, and a window for a wall, with a balcony view. A large queen sized canopy bed in the far corner, with a white nightstand holding my white iHome and white iPod next to it. The walk-in closet directly across from it, doors painted white, and a desk off to the right, painted white by my brother. The transparent white curtains billowing slightly in front of the open balcony door, the railings white and spotless. By the window, in a shady corner, sat my unused art supplies, like a canvas, paints, pastels, and a couple new sketchbooks. The only color that brought a tiny speckle of life into the room was from the multiple drawings scattered around on the walls, all memories of people, pets, or just mindless scribbles that I happened to like. Beaches, sunsets, starry night skies, all sorts of vivid creations, displayed so crudely. I sighed, flinging my bag onto the bed, and wandered over to my balcony, relaxing as the wind whipped through my hair.

Here, in this sanctuary, thoughts would stop, and your mind would be blank. You could enjoy your surroundings, and see the beauty in life. Emotions would become dormant, and time would pass, but you would stay at a standstill, forever holding onto the moment of tranquility.

Then why, of all times when I need to stop thinking, does my sanctuary reject me?

I sighed, furiously scratching my scalp, before stomping back into the room, slamming my door shut. I never noticed the pair of bright blue eyes and the Cheshire cat grin following my every move.

* * *

**Thanks a BIOLLION to Lycoris Calantha, my new Beta reader. ;) I wonder how I've been writing without one for so long. XD**


	4. Memories

Chapter Four – Memories

The next morning, after all of the pre-school preparations, I headed out, my black shoes sliding in the wet grass of the forest. I yawned, twirling around here and there, before smiling. Today was a beautiful day!

"Hey, Naminé! Wait up!" I paused, turning around to see who had called, to watch Sora bound down the hill and slip. Roxas came up from behind him, shaking his head groggily.

"Good morning, Sora!" I greeted with a smile. I turned to the blonde, sighing. "Good morning, Roxas."

"Mornin'!" Sora chirped in return, jumping back to his feet. Roxas grunted out an answer, his eyes flickering closed every so often. Watching him sway threateningly —as though he was about to topple over asleep—was quite comical.

"Do you mind if we walk to school with you?" Sora asked. He was bright and cheerful; happily awake. A morning person, I guess.

"No, I don't mind," I answered. Sora grinned, grabbing Roxas' arm and shaking him. Roxas protested with his eyes closed.

"No…stop it, Sora! I don't want to go to school…" he mumbled, finally toppling over onto his brother and using his shoulder as a pillow. Sora tried pushing him off, but the drowsy Roxas did not budge.

"Roxas! Get off!" Sora whined. He began shaking Roxas around again, this time managing to get his brother's head off of his shoulder. Roxas groaned, rubbing his eyes. I smirked, thoroughly amused.

"Roxas, you can sleep in first period, you know," I quipped. He nodded in response, yawning. He looked like a young child, acting so adorably. Sora took his shoulders, shaking him around.

"Just keep your eyes open until school," he instructed slowly. Roxas opened his eyes to glare down at Sora, but nodded.

"What was he doing last night?" I whispered to the brunette once we started walking.

"I'm not sure. After you left, he got all quiet, and he was thinking a lot. I don't think he got much sleep," Sora explained. I nodded, sighing.

"Sorry for yesterday," I said in a louder tone, facing both of the spiky haired twins. Sora waved it off and Roxas just squinted at me for a while before returning his gaze to the back of his eyelids.

We walked silently through Market Street, pushing our way through the crowd, until finally being dragged onto a somewhat full tram. I stared silently out of the window as Roxas took a nap besides me, and Sora stood, watching the scenery pass by. The people inside all respected each other, keeping their mouths closed and staring stiffly at nothing; the entire tram was tranquil, the only sound coming from the running of the wheels on the tracks.

Once the train came to a slow stop, we exited, now making our way up to Sunset Hill, where our school stood like a massive corporate business office. We passed other students, Sora and Roxas (well, Sora) smiling as they waved to each other. I kept my head down, walking straight.

"I'll see you guys later," I mumbled, scurrying off. I walked into Mr. Uchida's class room and noticed that Kairi was already there, cheerful and peppy, sitting straight up in her seat. She waved at me, beckoning me over.

"Good morning, Naminé!" she chirped, grinning. I smiled back, taking my seat.

"Good morning, Kairi," I said back, as more kids began filing in through the door. I watched Kairi from the corner of my eye, a small smile spreading across my face as I watched her bounce up and down in her seat in anxiety.

"Hyper, much?" I joked. She turned to me, grinning.

"Yup! Four cups of coffee and a bag of gummy worms!"

I smirked at her as Mr. Uchida raced in, complaining about 'transportation problems' when really he was sulking because his wife had another nasty argument with him. He started the class in a fluster of unintelligent mumbled words, bringing all quiet conversations to an end as he glared at each and every student that opened his or her mouth. He then turned to the black board, murderously scribbling down problems for us to decipher.

Yawning, I rested my head on my desk and closed my eyes. A nice, simple nap couldn't hurt…

When the bell rang, I sprang up from my seat and glanced around, surprised. Kairi smirked, handing me my bag.

"Have a nice nap?" she asked jokingly. I got up and stretched.

"Every second of it!" I answered cheerfully. I felt rejuvenated and fresh, ready to take on my next class. Kairi and I walked out into the hall before bidding each other farewell. The girls continued to glare along the hall; some even took the courtesy of ignoring my existence completely. I smiled as I stalked off to my next class.

I entered the biology room feeling invincible, like the looks the girls gave me passed right through me to the person behind me. Skipping over to my window seat, I propped all of my supplies on my desk and folded my hands neatly.

Roxas came wobbling in moments later. He was swaying from side to side like a drunken man, the bags under his eyes looking heavier than before; Sora must have kept him up all through first period. He tripped over his own feet and landed clumsily on his chair; within seconds, he was out like a light.

I watched him sleep like the stalker I am. He looked so peaceful, so unbelievably adorable with that tiny little smile, so innocent. His face rested on his arms, facing the wall, but I could still see a good portion; I was the only one who could gaze at the sleeping beauty. His hair, which normally pointed up and out, now tried resisting the wood beneath them, flattening them out so it looked funny. He didn't snore, but his mouth wasslightly open as he took heavy breaths. I giggled quietly to myself.

I was suddenly aware of the many glares and envious glances getting sent in my direction. I faced them on, acting oblivious as I observed my surroundings. Most girls were giving Roxas dreamy sighs, probably getting lost in a deep thought bubble of fantasies. Others, like Selphie and Yuna, began applying make-up all along their faces and slipping notes drowned in perfume into his bag. I rolled my eyes, smiling slightly as Roxas shifted, unaware.

Mr. Sparrow burst into the room, groggily explaining something about the bathroom, a water bottle, and a flask before scribbling nonsense about piracy onto the board. Honestly, everyone knew he had been drinking. My classmates—who had fallen silent at our teacher's entrance—began silent conversations with each other, mumbling unintelligible things. Some girls sent suggestive winks in my general direction; when I stared back at them curiously shocked, I noticed that Roxas had awoken from his slumber.

"Finally awake?" I asked quietly. He rubbed his eyes cutely, frowning.

"Not quite," he answered, stretching his arms up over his head and turning slightly in his chair. He looked more alive, at least. I figured now was the time to apologize properly for before.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I just… yeah," I mumbled. Roxas looked at me oddly, raising an eyebrow.

"You already apologized. And it's no big deal."

"Yeah, but when I apologized earlier, you were half dead."

"Didn't mean I couldn't hear."

"No, no, I'm just surprised you remember."

"It's not that shocking, really," he mumbled under his breath, turning away.

During our small banter, the girls around me were silenced, wondering how exactly I captured Roxas's attention. They tried mimicking me, but Roxas would only answer with casual yeses or nos. it made me feel special inside, even though I wasn't really on friendly terms with the blonde next to me.

The class carried on in quiet conversations as many in the front row tried to lull Mr. Sparrow to sleep. I stayed distant from the word, fishing around in random memories, testing my power. If I could dig into the core—the birthplace of all memories, the heart—I would find some really juicy information. Yuna was usually subject to these tests; most of the time, my victims were left fidgety and uncomfortable, having experienced a feeling of violation. Unfortunately, I wasn't capable of digging so far into some memories: The heart is a battleground, and it was like I was one soldier fighting millions in my path to the heart. I gave up on Yuna, moving on to Selphie.

Selphie Tilmitt is a very shallow person who would put looks and popularity status above all else. If you hate those people who talk like "Oh my god, I just like, totally chipped my manicure!" then you will utterly despise the brunette head cheerleader. Typical, really; to be number one, you need to be in the 'in crowd'; easily accessible through the cheerleading squad. She has her eyes set on making Roxas—the best player next to Sora—her famous, beyond popular boyfriend. I doubt she cares about what was in his heart.

Roxas! It had just dawned on me that Roxas could be very suitable prey to my memory chaining. His heart was probably the biggest battlefield of all; but that only intrigued me further. Smirking, I closed my eyes and pushed my mental barrier around his slumped form.

The first couple of chains protecting his heart are easily passable; I just skip right through every memory in the area. As I get closer and closer to the center, it gets harder—much harder. Roxas was a very tough cookie to crumble, after all. I visit recounts of his childhood, pass memories of growing up, and fish up a decent painful moment between him and Sora. Curious, I stop the process, watching the memory like a film reel.

_A very young Sora—maybe three years old—is being held up by a very young looking Tifa. He's bawling; reaching out for something I couldn't see. Something flashed at the bottom of the makeshift screen; a pair of hands, very tiny, reaching for Sora; I understood. Something must have happened years ago that separated Roxas and Sora throughout his childhood. The viewpoint shifts upwards; and Roxas' father is there, steely, emotionless, only a twinge of pain seen by the small tear that rolls off of his cheek. A sniff; a crying Roxas. The toddler's hands fall out of sight, and another sniff is heard._

_"Daddy, what's happening?" he asks in such a cute, immature voice. He tries to be strong. _

_"Mommy wants to stay here. Daddy has to train you for the games," the emotionless father had answered. _

_"What about Sora?"_

_"He's a bad influence to you, Roxas. You need to stay away from him while you train."_

_"Why? Why can't Sora come with me?"_

_"Because he isn't ready. No more questions; all will show itself in the future."_

The memory cuts short suddenly and I'm flying out of Roxas' head like I've been blown back from an explosion. I almost fall out of my chair, rocking slightly in shock; was Roxas powerful enough to push me out of his head? Impossible. No one has ever done that before. I peek at him, and notice the pain and fear crossing his eyes. He's clutching his head, digging his fingers into the roots of his golden spikes, shaking his head.

"No, not again… Not that memory…no…" he mumbles. A feeling of extreme guilt washes over me; I shouldn't have pried.

Gently, reassuringly, I put a hand on his shoulder. "Roxas, are you alright?"

He turns, slowly, unclenching his hands. His bright eyes are clouded in fear and denial. He shakes his head, trying to smile.

"I'm fine," he says, like he's trying to convince himself. I feel another wave of guilt crash down, but I keep silent. Maybe if I buried the memory again…

No. No more interfering. Besides, his mind is completely blocked off to me. I can't even get a single vibe from him; it's like an iron wall has been placed between us. I shake it off, trying to focus on anything but him.

The class dragged on, but as soon as the bell rang, I was out the door. I wanted to keep as much distance between Roxas and me as possible; any more temptations to infiltrate his mind might just make me insane. I rushed to the cafeteria, burst through the doors, and scrambled over to Kairi and Xion.

"Hey," they greeted, mouths stuffed with sandwich. I waved in return, mentally slapping myself for forgetting lunch money.

"I heard from Sora that you're their new neighbor; what's going on there?" Kairi asked slyly, poking a milk carton as if she were uninterested. My eyes narrowed.

"Nothing, Kairi. It's the same as any old neighbor," I answered smartly. She huffed, unable to respond, so Xion took over.

"Any signs of romance?" she asked quietly, smirking. She huddled closer to Kairi as a large group of obnoxious boys passed by.

"No, and there will be none. I actually fought with Roxas a little instead."

The two (well, mostly Kairi, since Xion was still worming away from the students passing by) stared at me in disbelief. "Why did you fight him?"

"I was irritated, okay! I… don't know why I did, but he just set something off inside of me," I mumbled, slouching forward. The more I think about it, the dumber I seem.

"Well, apologize and let the love fester!" Kairi hissed. I mock glared at her.

"I did apologize, and I will not 'let the love fester' because that seriously sounds disgusting," I snapped back, using air quotes at the right time. Kairi ended the stupid argument by sticking her tongue out. Xion giggled quietly.

It was silent between the three of us until the boys came over. Of course, Hayner and Sora were louder than a parade of rampaging elephants, so conversation managed to pick up again. I was delighted to add Olette to the table when she quietly walked over and waved.

"So, Roxas. What's it like to live next to Namine?" Kairi pressed. I groaned, giving her a look to drop the subject. She ignored me.

"Annoying," Roxas smirked. I gave him an evil glare. He sent one right back.

"Ooh, things are heating up between our little emo couple," Riku chuckled. We both shot our death glare on him.

"I am not emo!" I shouted, pointing an accusing finger at his chest. Xion squeaked from the sudden movement. Roxas said nothing, just poked around in his lunch. "You're not denying it?" I asked quizzically. He shrugged.

"Why deny it? Everyone calls me emo already. I'm used to it," he mumbled, trembling a bit. The guilt washed over me again, but I couldn't apologize for it; What could I say, 'I was fishing around in your head when I found a memory and accidentally pulled it up to the surface'? He wouldn't believe me. Besides, no matter how much I wanted to set it right, I still couldn't access his memories; it was like they never existed to me. A part of me was severely irritated, while the other part saw it as a warning label. Despite my better judgment, I apologized anyway.

"What are you sorry for?" Sora asked in return. Roxas had jerked his head up and stared at me curiously. I shook my head.

"Nothing," I mumbled before picking myself up and walking away.

I remember why I didn't have friends. I couldn't trust any of them in the past; and when I managed to build the courage to burrow into their minds, I found information I should have never seen. My so called 'friends' planning my downfall; hoping to push me to the bottom rung of the social ladder. I wasn't going to let it happen back then; I separated myself.

Now, as I gain the friendship of very popular boys, I cut my ties again. No one could be trusted; not even a cheerful girl like Kairi. I knew that somewhere deep inside, there was a darkness in every heart. A darkness I didn't want to see. I know everyone has something against me to hate me for.

I hopped up the stairs onto the roof of the school, walking into the corner and burying my face into my knees. I had to be alone.

"You don't have food, do you?"

My head jerked up, and I noticed that the door had never fully closed. Roxas stood in front of it, holding a small roll of bread. He had followed me. Why?

He made his way over to my crouched form, leaning against the wall and sliding down next to me. He handed me the bread, which I took gratefully. It was quiet between us as he watched me eat.

"Why'd you leave?" he asked after awhile. I shrugged.

"Trust issues, basically," I summed up, laughing sadly at my lameness.

"You know, we won't just pretend to be your friends like all those other girls did. Don't explain, Kairi told me," he said when I gave him a shocked look. "You have to believe me."

"I…can't. I've been through too much. And trust me, you've been beaten to this speech already," I sighed, hanging my head again. He awkwardly pats my shoulder.

"Namine. I would know about trust issues. I'm a celebrity; everyone wants to be my friend. Can't trust anyone though. But… you're different. For the first time since we were little, someone talked back to us, showed us she was indifferent. That she didn't care. That you didn't care," he said softly. I looked up to him, noticing his pained expression. I laughed humorlessly.

"I guess we really are emo," I joked. He smiled, picking himself up.

"Give it some time. You don't have to trust us now, but if anyone, you'll warm up to Kairi. That girl doesn't know when to quit," he said, sliding his hands into his pockets. I jump to my feet as well.

"I'll take your word for it."


	5. Different

**Chapter Five – Different**

I walked back to class with a better mood, but it wasn't enough to completely cheer me up. Olette found me in the hallways somewhere halfway, and she accompanied me, vehemently glaring at anyone who said anything rude about us behind our backs. We entered the classroom, being welcomed by a rush of hurried whispers. Olette made it a point to ignore them, walking like a model to a chair in the center of the row, so I just decided to copy her example.

"Xigbar usually has us pair up for history," she explained, pointing to the menacing teacher sitting with his legs propped up on his desk. "He's really cool. At least, that's what my brother Terra told me."

I nodded. Truthfully speaking, I am terrified of this teacher; he had what could only be described as battle scars all over his face, along with an eye patch. Did this man suffer some type of gory war tragedy? To answer my own question - and to pass time - I closed my eyes and invaded his privacy.

Unfortunately, as I closed my eyes and started concentrating, a loud, echoing battle cry ricocheted to my ears. Everyone in the class jumped, and my eyes jerked open.

Mr. Xigbar had sprung up from his desk and was brandishing a stack of papers like a weapon. He smirked at all the terrified glances he was receiving around the room, and without warning, slammed the stack down on a person's desk.

"Please pass those around," he said kindly. The student nodded, eyes wide, and snatched the stack, practically throwing papers at people to get away from the crazy man.

"Now! I'm Mr. Xigbar, your history teacher. I like parties, Blitzball, and fun. That's all."

Was this man honestly alright? He sounded like someone who belonged in a mental ward…

"Those papers are called appointment clocks. This is my version of choosing your partners. For every time, write a different person. Go."

Almost immediately, Olette poked my arm. "Twelve?" she asked. I nodded enthusiastically.

"Sure," I said. We then wandered around the room, asking members of the class unwillingly to be certain times. I ended up getting Olette as my twelve o'clock, two o'clock, and six o'clock, but having my luck, Mr. Xigbar paired us with our one o'clock and had us work on our assignment. My one o'clock was Seifer, a senior who I knew was most likely held back a couple years. I wandered towards the senior, and sat down in the desk next to him. I remained quiet, working on my paper.

"Hey there, beautiful," he purred, making me shiver in fright.

"Hello," was all I said to him.

"So, um…Namine, was it?" he had to check the paper in front of him to be sure, the git, "Why don't you and me go see a movie on Friday?"

"Firstly, it's 'you and I'. Secondly, never," I replied curtly, still refusing to look up at him as I whizzed through the paper.

"See? You even agree that there's a you and I. so I'll pick you up at seven?" he said suggestively, winking. I scowled.

"No, you won't. there is no you and I. You hardly remember my name," I hissed. He looked a tad bit surprised.

"Of course I remember your name, darling! It's…" he tried to spy the paper again, but I snatched it away from his greedy eyes. "Um…Natalie!"

"No, it's not. And I'm not your 'darling', so don't call me that," I snapped.

"Baby, then," he tried, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I jerked away, disgusted.

"My name is Naminé, not baby, honey, darling, or any other pet name you can create. And I would never, ever go out with a snob like you."

Seifer snapped. "Listen here, you little bitch. No one says no to Seifer."

I glared at him, scooting my chair away from his desk. "Well then, I hope you enjoy disappointment."

I worked independently for the rest of the hour, sneaking weary glances at Olette every so often. She looked genuinely worried, which I was grateful for. When the bell rang, I caught up to her, and we walked out together.

"Are you alright?" she asked kindly. I nodded.

"I'm fine, but someone should pop that over inflated ego of Seifer's," I hissed. Olette recoiled at the name, and a mixture of pain and sadness crossed her eyes.

"'Lette? What's wrong?" I asked. She smiled sadly.

"Promise me you'll stay away from him, Nami. He's no good," she murmured.

"Why's that? Besides the obvious," I asked, genuinely curious.

"He…he raped half of the girls he's ever dated… and he… he tried to kill Roxas."

For once, I was stunned beyond belief at this small amount of information. He tried to _kill _Roxas? As in murder? How? Why?

As I voiced my thoughts, Olette's expression became grim. "I-I dated him once. He tried to rape me, but Roxas and Hayner showed up at exactly the right time. I didn't know them back then, but Hayner took me and ran while Roxas hung back to distract Seifer. We were only thirteen… he didn't stand a chance…" she whispered, her eyes getting misty.

"Forget I asked, Olette. I'll stay away from him," I promised firmly, patting the brunette's back. She gave a faint smile and wiped her eyes.

"Do, please. Sorry for the waterworks, it's something I'd rather not remember," she sniffed, cracking a grin that didn't reach her eyes. I smiled, waving it off.

"It's no problem, really."

We split up, Olette to Spanish, and I headed off towards Art. I opened the classroom door timidly, finding Kairi waving her arms animatedly, trying to gain my attention. I sighed, walking to the seat besides hers.

"You okay? Roxas told me about it in French," she whispered kindly, giving me a concerned look.

"I'm fine. Sorry for doubting you," I replied sheepishly, retrieving my sketchbook and placing it on the desk. She grinned.

"No problem!" she whispered as the teacher, Mrs. Gainsborough, gracefully entered the room.

Mrs. Gainsborough was by far my favorite teacher. She was tall and strikingly pretty, with a long brunette braid tied back with a pink bow. Her green eyes were always warm and gentle, and her voice was so light and airy you'd think she was an angel. She smiled down at me pleasantly as she passed, stopping behind her desk.

"Alright class, please turn your attention to the board," she called gently, putting an overhead projector down on the floor. A simple, beautifully drawn butterfly was casted onto the wall. "I want you to copy down the butterfly as best you can."

And so class went.

Since I was in a better mood since lunch, I decided that walking home with Sora and Roxas would be ok. I waited patiently by the front gates, anxiously looking for a sign of unruly hair, when Sora nearly tackled me.

"Hey, Naminé! Let's go home!" he chirped excitedly, a faint blush staining his cheeks and a grin spread from ear to ear. I stared at him with an eyebrow raised, but he simply sprang away like a prancing deer.

"Don't ask. Kairi gave him a kiss on the cheek," Roxas murmured from behind me. I nodded, comprehending, a sly grin forming on my face.

"Sora likes Kairi?" I asked as we made our way down the street. Roxas smirked.

"How could you not know? It's the most obvious thing in the world. Kairi likes him back," he chuckled, throwing his bag over his shoulder. "The only two people who don't know are Sora and Kairi themselves."

"That's so cute! Have you ever tried to get them together?" I asked, watching Sora swing around a lamp post up ahead in glee.

"Yeah. Xion's tried, but only because she hated the way Kairi talked about him. Riku helped her, but it didn't go as planned, and those two got together instead," he said, rolling his eyes. Without permission, a soft giggle left my lips.

It was silent for the rest of the trip. Roxas kept glancing up at the sky, and I kept my gaze on my feet, distracting myself by making sure I stepped over every crack. I was having a normal conversation with Roxas. A peaceful, plain, average conversation. With no fighting, no emo-ness, and no… _fan girls _around. I glanced up at him as I jumped over a large crack in the concrete below my feet.

He was still staring peacefully up at the sky, a nostalgic look gracing his features. I followed his gaze, but there was nothing there; what was he staring at? In a curious blaze, I tried prying into his mind again, but there was still an iron wall standing between me and his memories. I was pleasantly surprised; he was the first person to have ever blocked me out. Even Zexion couldn't keep me out of his head; he put up plenty of defenses, but I always managed to enter his memories. But in Roxas; there weren't any codes to crack, walls to break down. Just a rock solid, unmoving, impenetrable iron curtain. He was different from others; Could he really be the boy from the drawing?

* * *

**Sorry for the wait, everyone!**


	6. Autumn Leaves

**Well, it's about time. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. if I did, Roxas would be my brother and I would smother him in love everyday. And occasionaly hurt him. Because he frustrates me.****Chapter 6**

* * *

******(previously)**

_He was still staring peacefully up at the sky, a nostalgic look gracing his features. I followed his gaze, but there was nothing there; what was he staring at? In a curious blaze, I tried prying into his mind again, but there was still an iron wall standing between me and his memories. I was pleasantly surprised; he was the first person to have ever blocked me out. Even Zexion couldn't keep me out of his head; he put up plenty of defenses, but I always managed to enter his memories. But in Roxas; there weren't any codes to crack, walls to break down. Just a rock solid, unmoving, impenetrable iron curtain. He was different from others; Could he really be the boy from the drawing?_

* * *

"What are you thinking about? You look troubled," Roxas murmured. I jumped out of my thoughts and shook my head, giving a light smile.

"Nothing important," I shot back, keeping my gaze on the pavement below my feet. Four cement cracks later and Roxas gave a frustrated sigh.

I peeked up at him through my bangs. "What?" I asked innocently enough.

"Ok, I've known you for like, two days, and I already hate it when you keep quiet. It honestly bothers me, because whenever you're silent like this, your face gets all contorted like you're concentrating on something really, _really_ hard, but there's nothing around that requires that kind of focus," he blurted, his words melding together to form one, long, unbreakable sentence. I blinked, and he blinked back, obviously stunned himself that he had burst like that. A blush quickly clouded his face, and he turned away, finding his shoelaces of the utmost importance. "I-I'm mean, n-not that I care, or anything."

Smiling broadly, I let a curtain of hair fall over my shoulder as my hands retreated behind my back, folding into each other. With a growl, Roxas shoved it back over my ear and lifted my chin up to face him - his eyes were squinted, like he was giving me an interrogation.

"Stop that," he ordered. His fingers left my face and he propped them on his hips, pouting.

"S-stop what?" I stuttered, blushing from the sudden contact.

"Being all mysterious."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, hide your face, keep yourself locked up, never speak unless addressed too, that kind of stuff," he clarified, picking up our walking pace again as the tram station came into view. Sora stood before the ticket counter, waving his arms frantically and pointing at the train, which had just pulled in.

"We're gonna miss it," I mumbled, - changing the subject - and breaking into a run. Roxas easily kept up, and we jumped in. Sora frowned at us and crossed his arms, giving a mock glare at his twin.

"Come on, Roxas. You can walk faster than that," he chastised. Roxas shrugged in response, claiming an empty seat and sitting down on the plush red cushions.

"I'd rather walk. It's more relaxing," he replied smoothly. I watched Sora take the seat next to him and lock him in a head lock from my position by the door. I cocked an eyebrow at the public display of brotherly love, but made no comment as the two battled. Instead, I looked out of the window and watched the town pass by.

"Naminé, you're doing it again."

I quickly turned my head to face Roxas, only to see that he was standing right behind me. Roxas and Sora both had given up their seats to an elderly couple and had sneakily come to my side; I hadn't even noticed.

"Doing what?" I asked blankly as Roxas sighed.

"Being mysterious. What are you hiding?" he asked quietly, scrutinizing my face. I sunk back into the doors, embarrassed. After a long pause, he pouted and leaned forward. "Naminé!"

I stared into his oceanic eyes intently, my mind hard at work trying to find a chink in his mental barrier. He stared back with equal determination, never blinking. His eyes were so blue…

"Ugh!" he finally grumbled, slouching against the safety pole against the seat. I continued to stare at him, unfazed by his movement. "Why can't you tell me?"

"Because you'd hate me and call me a freak like all the other boys," I mumbled automatically, but paused to give some thought. "And girls."

"I already see you as a freak, dunce," he joked, grinding his fist into my skull. "But that doesn't mean I'll hate you."

I pushed his fist away as the tram doors opened. "But you would."

"No, I wouldn't," he countered.

"…I'll think about it," I allowed, running to catch up with Sora, who was already heading for the forest.

"Seriously, you guys walk at like, two miles per hour," the brunette whined, pouting at me. I lightly pushed his shoulder, and he shot me a grin as Roxas caught up.

"Come on, Roxas. You should have at least a little muscle. I know you can walk faster than that!" Sora joked, locking Roxas in a headlock again. Roxas twitched in annoyance.

"Well, Sora, It's not polite to leave the lady behind, or did mom teach you any manners?" he countered, pulling away and pushing the brunette's head down as if to bow in apology. I giggled, turning around and walking backwards to watch their playful banter.

"Don't bring my lack of manners into this!"

"Stop being such a brat!"

"God, Roxas, you're always hating on me, ever since we started Blitz-" Sora broke off, clamping his hands over his mouth. Roxas stiffened, narrowing his eyes at his younger brother. I cocked my head to the side in order to try and get a good glimpse of Roxas's face.

His eyes were downcast and filled with hate - his smile long gone and pressed into a firm, straight line. He tried covering it up with his hair, but from my position, I could see every detail.

"…You don't like Blitzball very much, do you?" I asked quietly, stopping. Both Roxas and Sora looked up to me in surprise, as if remembering that I was there. Roxas lowered his head again and shook it gently to say no. Sora let out a held breath and stared at his brother in worry before turning to face me.

"Roxas…was never one to like being noticed. And he's famous in blitz…" he elaborated. "He hated Blitzball. Still hates."

"Were you forced into it?" I asked the blonde. He nodded silently.

I started feeling sorry for Roxas; being forced into something you abhorred was never fun. Take my brother Zexion for example - he was drafted into the war at age fifteen. If it wasn't for the monthly letters, I would believe that he was dead…

"Hey, it's ok! The past is the past. Let's live in the present, shall we?" I tried to recover lamely. Sora smiled apologetically at me, and Roxas finally looked up.

"Yeah…you're right…" he sighed dejectedly. We stood there awkwardly for a while.

"W-well, I have homework, so let's head home!" Sora chirped. He attempted conversation several more times on the walk back, but Roxas and I were trapped in our own thoughts.

That's right. The last thought of Zexion made me remember something. Being late in September, my brother's letter was sure to arrive soon; if it hadn't arrived already. It was something to look forward to, at least, and it brought a small smile to my face. Zexion's letters were the only things that gave me peace of mind, letting me know that he was ok. He was alive. He would come home someday soon.

I bid Sora and Roxas farewell at my gate, marching up my lawn. The grass was growing longer again…I should mow it down later. Stopping momentarily to look up at my shabby home, I figured that I had a lot of yard work to do; cutting the vines off of the widows, chipping mold away from corners, raking leaves into a pile. Sighing, mentally promising myself that I would start after homework, I went inside.

"Mom! I'm home!" I shouted as I slipped my shoes off. From the kitchen, I saw her wave a dripping soup ladle as a greeting. Shaking my head, I continued upstairs into my bedroom and made a beeline for my desk to start my homework.

An hour later, with only half of my work done, I groaned and snatched my sketchbook from my bag, heading to my balcony for some much-needed sketching time.

Unfortunately, as soon as I looked out, I had a mad desire to head right back in.

Roxas was sitting on the roof of his home next door, only a short jumping distance away, staring up at the clouds with a saddened expression. The window to his balcony was open, the curtain billowing in the breeze.

What was he doing? Being up that high was certainly unsafe. He couldn't possibly be thinking of suicide, could he? I started to get worried. What if he fell? As if to counter argue me, he leant back so he was laying perfectly straight on the edge of the roof above his balcony, sprawling out his limbs before grabbing onto the ledge and executing a perfect back flip. With a gentle thud, he stood up tall on his balcony, shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed.

I would bet anything my mouth was hanging open at this random display of gymnastics. It was just my luck that he happened to look over at me, standing there, half hidden in my white curtains with my sketchpad lodged in my hand. We stared at each other for a short period of time before his face broke out into a dazzling grin.

I knew I blushed. I felt the heat rush into my cheeks, staining them red. I waved softly; he returned the gesture wholeheartedly before striding back into his room, closing the door behind him.

Oh my Goodness. Why was my heart pumping so erratically? Why won't the heat leave? My entire face was probably red by now. And the nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach wouldn't go away. Quickly, I slammed my balcony door shut and raced over to my sketchpad, immediately flipping to the one picture of the boy from the future. The sadder picture looked exactly like Roxas did moments ago - blue eyes troubled and downcast, spikes blocking most of his view. A soft but deep frown tainting his beautiful face, completed with the image of being lost in a deep, deep thought or memory. Blushing, I slammed it closed and hugged it to my chest. How could the two of them look so alike? Could he really be the boy of the picture?

I looked back over to his balcony automatically, only to find both Sora and Roxas together at the window, staring through my transparent curtains at me. Me, who was sitting cross legged on the floor with a sketchbook pressed to my chest for dear life. Both of them stared at me in amusement; I blushed ferociously, scurrying out of the room.

Doing the remainder of my homework was out of the question; going back into my room was like falling into a pool of embarrassment. With nothing better to do, I snuck into my brother's room, stole a white T-shirt and a pair of shorts, and stomped out into the front yard.

I decided to attack the mold hiding in the corner first; it was looking really nasty, and seemed like the worst job to perform in all. Digging around in the small trash can that held all of our yard cleaning whatever tools, I plucked a chisel and began hacking away at the green fungus.

It was hard. I don't have much upper body muscle, since I've never really thought of strengthening myself. Using all the force I could muster, I stabbed at the nastiness, furiously bringing the chisel up and down.

After what seemed like an agonizing twenty hours, I literally screamed in frustration and threw my chisel across the front lawn, stomping over to the trashcan filled with supplies. I grabbed a rake, and in my anger, began scraping the ground in swift, hasty movements, the prongs snatching dead leaves and organizing them into a neat, untidy pile. Here and there, mushrooms were scraped up along with the crumbling tree remains; I grinned at their agonizing death, for they were loosely related to that vile mold that refused to come off. When I'd organized a nice, beautiful pile of dead organisms, I had the urge to jump; and I did, burying myself into it. It was scratchy and filthy, but it did give my mind a sense of release. Staring up at the sky, the swirling bits and pieces of leaves as they floated back down to the ground, the clouds as they moved to and fro, flying with the wind. I suddenly realized that it was indeed quite chilly out; pretty soon, I'd have to go back inside and grab a jacket. Sighing and closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, inhaling the fall air. When I opened my eyes I again, I made a squeaking noise and jumped.

Roxas and Sora were hovering over me, heads pressed together. They started laughing as I rolled over in the leave pile, pouting.

"Give me a break, guys," I mumbled, pulling stray leaves out of my hair. They grinned simultaneously, taking my hands and pulling me up. Sora helped me brush the rest of the leaves out of my hair while Roxas just stood there, being an idiot. I pushed him away, pulling my lips into a deep frown, but he shook his head, picking up my discarded rake. Sora casually wandered over to the trashcan filled with junk and began shifting around in it.

"You could have asked for help," Roxas elaborated after seeing my confused expression. I pulled my gaze away from Sora - who had just found my mold-covered chisel - and stared at Roxas in shock. He smiled, cocked his head to the side, and pointed to the other rake sticking out of the trashcan. Understanding, I went to retrieve it.

"I didn't want any help," I mumbled to myself angrily. Unfortunately, Roxas overheard - Sora was hard at work successfully chipping mold off of those dang corners - and he laughed, poking me with the edge of his rake in the side. I jerked away, pouting again. He leaned in for another poke, but lucky for me, I successfully dodged, batting his rake away with my own before flicking leaves at him. He laughed, blocking the flying decay before plucking some off of the ground and tossing it back. Blowing out in a full scale leaf war, we started launching them at each other, continuously tossing them to and fro, laughing. I saw Sora grin cheekily from behind a bush, propping his hands behind his head. He looked pleased for some reason, but I didn't have time to enter his mind. Roxas had picked up his rake and was now brandishing like a cutlass, poking me in the stomach, I shrieked, sending more leaves scattering, before arming myself with my own rake. I laughed as we started having a mock sword fight, with me blocking continuously and Roxas swiping away, occasionally landing a poke or two in my side, causing me to giggle maniacally.

I'd never had this much fun; not in a long time, anyway. Truthfully, I'd never had friends. The only real friend I had was Zexion, and there was no way he would come outside and have a swordfight with me. Zexion was a do-my-job-and-go type of person; he'd never give me the time of day to 'have fun'. besides, his version of fun was reading.

After many more pokes to the side, I finally caved. Roxas fell over me, pinching my sides and making me squirm, tears bursting from my eyes as my peals of laughter rang loud and clear. It took a long time of begging, but Roxas finally stopped; he laid down besides me on the ground, panting and chuckling.

The sun had set now. Twilight - the time of day our peaceful town was known for - was beginning to settle in, and the sky was a bright blue and purple. The clouds were still fluffy, but now they looked like cotton candy with the sky's color. Without thinking, I reached a hand out and mentally grabbed a chunk. I noticed Roxas staring at me, and I turned to face him.

The color of his eyes had brought my thoughts to a complete standstill again. Such a bright blue, no colored pencil would give it justice; I don't think mixing blues would work either. He had a soft smile on his face, and his cheeks were a rosy red from exertion. Another giggle erupted from his throat, and it seemed to be contagious. Soon, we were both writhing around on the ground, laughing our butts off. It took Sora's crazy smirk and a kick in the shin to come to our senses.

"I see we were having a twilight meadow scene here," he commented, and I finally noticed our positions.

I was laying on my side, knees curled back, facing Roxas, who was turned to me in the same way - but he was in the last bits of sunlight. I grimaced at the reference to the vampire movie, sitting up.

"Shut up Sora," I mumbled, kicking Sora's feet. He laughed, helping me up. Roxas launched himself off of the ground.

"Please, Sora. Everyone knows I'm cooler than Edward Cullen," Roxas joked. Sora made a 'suuuure' look and stuck his tongue out, which earned him a punch in his shoulder. The two began wrestling, pushing each other into more leaves. The three of us began laughing as the night grew colder and darker. Soon, my mother was standing on the front porch, waving her hands at me.

"Naminé, come back inside!" she called quickly, rushing back inside to the warmth. I nodded to her, breaking the fight up.

"Guys, you have to go home!" I shouted, breaking it up. Sora, who had received the last punch, ran off as quick as possible. Roxas shouted after him, but turned last second to look at me again. With a two fingered salute and a broad grin, he vanished beyond the darkness.

I smiled, continuing to wave although he vanished into his home. Truthfully, I'd never felt so young before; so free. The only time I'd ever truly felt this…was when I'd drawn that picture of myself sitting next to the Roxas look alike. Blushing, I hurried inside.

Honestly, I think it was safe to admit it; I thought, no, know that the two were the same person. The boy of my future, the Roxas of my present. They looked the same, practically acted the same, _were_ the same.

And I just might be falling for him.

* * *

**Roxas, you are cooler than Edward Cullen. **

Btw, if anyone's wondering why Sora and Roxas magically appear on Namine's property, I'll explain in the next chapter. Which will probably be updated A LONG TIME AWAY FROM NOW.


	7. Confessions

Chapter 7

My dreams that came in the middle of the night had a very realistic quality to them; and, even asleep, I knew my mind was hurtling into the future. In the dreams, I was watching above a huge gymnasium - the gym at my school - and it was decorated like a movie; archways to every door, a _massive_ paper chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and people dressed in long, flowing ball gowns from the sixteenth century. Some people were dancing, others were conversing lightly with each other by a table lined with food. I decided to just float down into the midst of the party.

The closer to the people I got, the more I could see; everyone was wearing dull colors, like gold, brown, or a very dark red, like magenta. But masks were on every face, so it immediately clicked in my mind that this was the masquerade ball that Olette and I were planning. Excitement bubbling up in my stomach, I quickly planted my feet on the ground and began looking through the crowds for myself.

The best thing about these visions was the fact that I was completely invisible; I could pass through random people like a ghost, and I could change small factors here and there. For example; I could, say, find Yuna and 'accidentally' put a tear in her dress in a very…_revealing_ place, or put a puddle of water in front of Selphie so she'd slip and fall. With this power, I could have all the fun; anything I do here will happen in the future.

After doing the things mentioned above to Yuna and Selphie, I decided to go ahead and find my future self. And, being me, I figured that wherever I was, I was hiding. Hiding behind a plant, or at a table in a corner. The latter proved correct, and I felt a wave of self-pity.

I was sitting all alone, looking so unbelievably bored it was humiliating. My eyes were gazing longingly into the crowd of dancing people, and I figured that I was just having a _blast_. My sketchbook lay in front of me, opened to a new picture of Roxas I'd never seen before; great, I'm going to draw more pictures of him. Rolling my eyes, I followed my future-self's gaze into the crowd and immediately found Kairi, looking stunning.

Her dress was so _pretty_. Shining bright red fabric pooled out of her waistline in layers and layers of sparkles. Lines of rhinestones were imbedded from her chest to her waist, and a strip of solid red fabric was wrapped around her torso. Her beautiful red hair seemed to sparkle with her dress, pulled up in an elegant ponytail, and with only a silver locket around her neck, the strapless number was picture perfect. A plain black mask was covering her violet eyes, making them glow; red, black, and white feathers jutted out of the side, framing her face.

But I had to smile at who she was with; even with his mask, his chocolate colored spikes completely gave him away. Sora was wearing a classic black tuxedo like everyone else in the room, and his mask was also a classic black; the two looked so happy, swaying softly with each other.

Close by, at the punch table, I quickly distinguished Riku's silver mane standing protectively over tiny little Xion. Xion's dress was probably just as expensive as Kairi's; strapless, black, and sprinkled with rhinestones. Riku was pouring her a glass of punch, ultimately getting a few drops on his black tuxedo. Xion looked pleasant, her black mask doing little to hide her identity as it lay discarded on the punch table. Her hair glowed, bringing out the blue in her eyes.

With a soft smile, I turned back to face me. I was still staring at that picture of Roxas, which was a little bit creepy and embarrassing to me, but then my future self looked up into my eyes; like I was seeing myself. I froze.

But then a figure in black fazed through me, and I shrieked in surprise.

He was tall, lean, and practically gorgeous. Crisp, clean, and well fitted full-black tuxedo, paired with a stylish black fedora that covered his hair; but tuffs of dirty blonde locks were falling into his bright, bright blue eyes. He had a playful smirk on his lips, and he was fast approaching the other me. Quickly, I ran around him to see his face, mentally cursing my reaction. (my mouth was hanging open like I was some retarded weirdo)

"Hello, Miss," he said, polite, smooth, flowing. His voice was vaguely familiar, but I didn't think much into it because I wanted to slap my future self silly; I was still staring at this gorgeous sack of awesome like it was too good to be true. She held one finger up slowly and pointed it to herself, raising an eyebrow In disbelief. Gorgeous laughed.

"I'm talking to you, yes," he clarified, holding his hand out. "Care to dance?"

I think I was speechless, because although I finally closed my mouth, (About time) I took his hand wordlessly and allowed him to hoist me up and carry me out into the crowd. I slowly followed, intrigued and, I admit, excited.

For the first time since the beginning of the dream, I noticed my dress; an exact replica of Kairi's, but a sweet, gentle baby blue, a soft color that brought out the glow in my eyes. I had a white mask on, very simple, and a headband in my hair - which was curled into very tight, bouncing curls, so I was kind of unrecognizable - with a white rose in it. The whole outfit just screamed _Naminé, the white witch_. But watching me In this elegant dress stumble onto the floor was kind of laughable.

I knew for a fact that I couldn't dance; I could hardly walk along the sidewalk without tripping on _something_. So when I stepped on Mr. gorgeous' foot within the first forty seconds, I felt extremely humiliated. Stupid. And what was even worse was the fact that my other couldn't even say sorry; she just looked on, completely mortified, bowing to Mr. Gorgeous like that helps anything. I hate myself.

But Mr. Gorgeous laughed and waved it away like it was nothing; instead, he just bowed real low, took my hand and waist, smiling pleasantly, like he was amused by my behavior.

"Let's start over, shall we? Don't try, just follow my lead," he instructed calmly, gently moving his feet to the beat. The other me still looked mortified, staring down at her feet, desperately trying not to kill poor Mr. Gorgeous' toes. He lifted my chin up, however, and tisked. "Don't worry, I'll lead."

I knew I was blushing. But the other me was actually following his orders, just simply staring up into Mr. Gorgeous' eyes. And soon, to my complete shock, I was dancing.

Dancing might not be the right term; floating. Gliding. Soaring. The music shifted; a tender tango. Mr. Gorgeous was fast on the beat; he quickly changed his steps to match the tempo, and I was surprised to find myself mirroring him, all the while never breaking eye contact.

The steps were complicated. If I tried to do them right now, even in this dreamlike state where theoretically, I could do anything I wanted, I could never mirror the way my other self moved. Her foot would slide out in front of his and glide across the floor in a full circle before coming back to her other foot, then she'd take a large step and side step the other foot, while pulling it around again…and I'm completely lost. Speechless.

But I have recently discovered that I am actually a _very _good dancer.

I swear, Mr. Gorgeous and I danced the night away; we even accumulated a crowd! Look, there's Kairi and Sora, all smiles, with Xion and Riku; was that Olette standing with Hayner close by? Even Selphie, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine were watching, surprised, but honestly not very happy. I knew they recognized me, because we were all on the dance committee; meetings happened before dances, right? Whatever.

I was actually enjoying the dance, watching myself twirl away the night, but out of no where, Kairi's voice rang loud and clear.

"Nam, it's midnight!"

It was like a bomb exploded. The other me pushed Mr. Gorgeous away after gasping loudly, and she sprinted to the table with her sketchpad - which she had the brains to hide - before snatching it up in her grasp. Quickly, she tucked it under her arm and tried to run; but Mr. Gorgeous caught her arm, asking her to stop.

"Wait! Where are you going?" he asked, hurt. The other me pulled away, apologizing, while accidentally ripping a page out of the sketchbook as it flew out of her grasp; she didn't go back for it, just kept running.

The me of now is standing here, invisible, mouth agape and completely mind boggled. Mr. Gorgeous picked up the page from the sketchbook, looking crestfallen; Oh gosh, I was dead! That sketchbook held practically every secret I've ever kept to myself; it was a diary in drawing form. The fact that I was going to lose a piece of it to this handsome boy - the very same one who is supposedly going to make my night a very happy one - was news I couldn't take lightly. With a frustrated scream, I pulled myself into reality.

I felt my heartbeat again, and relaxed as the sun's rays warmed my face.

My mind was still spinning as I jumped up out of bed and snatched my sketchpad, relieved to still see it there, in one piece, lying on the table carelessly just waiting to be stolen. I hugged it tight to my chest for a few minutes before deciding to draw the dream.

An hour later, and I had a generally ish penciled background; I would color it in later, but for now I needed to get ready for school. I heard a bang, and as I looked up by my window, Sora was there on his balcony pointing urgently to his watch. I caught the hint and snatched my school uniform off the floor before rushing to the bathroom.

After a quick shower, I hastily made my way downstairs; my mother was standing there, one foot ready to march her way up, but she smiled when she saw me and made a U-turn for the kitchen. I followed her and snatched a piece of toast off of the counter, waving before running off.

I made it to school with just barely enough time left, running to my seat as the bell rang; Mr. Uchida, the Algebra teacher, gave a grunt as everyone filed into their seats. Kairi looked amused with her chin in her hand, staring at me with an eyebrow raised.

"What?" I asked her, frowning. A quick memory scan showed nothing terribly exciting in her morning.

She said nothing, but rather, a million images flooded my mind; all of them were provocative and very inappropriate, with Roxas and I as the stars. This kind of mind reading was only possible when the person I was trying to read literally tried to force their thoughts on me; which Kairi was doing right now, judging by the sly smirk she was wearing.

I tried not to gag as another image popped into my mind. How disgusting, Kairi! "Why are you smiling like that?" I asked her, trying to hide my continuous flinching. Kairi only smiled and suppressed the images, much to my pleasure.

"No reason. I just thought that you'd come late because you were…_busy_ with Roxas," she sniped, raising her eyebrows suggestively. I cringed and shook my head.

"That's disgusting, Kairi!" I whispered harshly as the teacher sent a glare in my direction. Kairi smirked pleasantly.

"You know you want him," she whispered back. I shot a pencil at her and directed my attention to the front, completely content with ignoring Kairi. She snickered and tossed the pencil back at me in response.

Once class was over, I decided I could grace Kairi with my presence; besides, she had already thrown the 'You-were-late-today-because-of-Roxas' idea away and was now completely immersed in her thoughts of the upcoming dance. I just let her do all the talking as I marched along with her to her locker, which was conveniently right across from mine.

"So at lunch today, we're going to go to the library with Olette and Yuna to copy the posters Olette made. Then after school, we're going to post a bunch around campus, and the rest we're going to pass out to each class. You have to see the poster, Olette is amazing!" Kairi was gushing, trading her books around In her locker. I only nodded mechanically, grabbing my Biology book and closing my locker.

"I'll see them at lunch. But for now, I'm off to class. See you," I called, already walking down the hall. Kairi turned to me, pouting; she wasn't finished explaining everything to me, but her voice was droning on and on and I wanted to escape, so I did; I slid into the classroom and navigated my way to my seat, pulling my Bio book on top.

Roxas was already in his seat in front of me, but he was fast asleep; figures, I thought to myself before pulling a pencil out and prodding his back. He stirred slightly before burrowing his face into his arms. I continued jabbing.

When Mr. Sparrow returned from the 'bathroom', I poked him hard directly on his spinal cord; he jerked awake, cringing away from the sharp point of my pencil before turning and glaring at me.

"What was that for?" he said, a tad too loudly. I shushed him.

"Class started. You were sleeping, so I woke you up. You should be thanking me," I whispered back triumphantly, smirking. He stuck his tongue out childishly before facing the board.

"Thanks," he muttered sarcastically. I smiled despite myself.

Throughout the lesson, Roxas seemed to doze off, bobbing his head up and down like a bobble-head; it really was wasteful, since Mr. Sparrow was actually sober and willing to teach. So I repeatedly poked him in the back, telling him like a mother to pay attention. By the end of class, he was irritated with me. It was amusing, really, the way he snapped; I thought it would hurt my feelings, but I actually found an annoyed Roxas more enjoyable to be around, as odd as that sounds.

"Why couldn't you just let me sleep?" he hissed for the third time as we marched off to lunch. I grinned.

"But Mr. Sparrow was actually serious, and we were learning for once! You shouldn't pass opportunities like that up, Roxas!" I chirped back. He glared at me.

"So? I'm tired as hell, Naminé! You couldn't just let me sleep through _one_ class?" he groaned, pushing the cafeteria doors open and sauntering inside. I skipped after him, fighting off giggles.

"No, school isn't a place for sleeping!" I scolded. He stuck his tongue out again before falling into his seat, not bothering to get in line for a lunch. Sora smacked him in the back before offering half of his pizza. Roxas took it greedily.

I pulled my own sack lunch out of my bag and placed myself besides Kairi, ignoring her questioning gaze. She gestured her hand inconspicuously between Roxas and I, but I shook my head; we weren't fighting, just having a disagreement. Kairi shrugged before downing her Gatorade and tossing it into a nearby recycle bin. Xion stood up.

"Guys, we have to go. See you later," she murmured, and Kairi took my hand. I frowned.

"But I haven't even started lunch yet - "

"You can eat in the Library, I have special permission from Belle. She's the librarian, by the way," Kairi explained, dragging me away. I heard Roxas mumble 'good riddance' under his breath and I laughed before falling into stride with Kairi.

"So we're copying posters, right? Why does there have to be so many people present?" I asked.

"As soon as the first fifty copies are done, Yuna and Olette will take them to the office to be handed out. We'll stay in the library and copy twenty-five more so we can paste them around school," Xion answered.

"But in reality, I just needed you because I wanted to talk to you about something," Kairi chirped. I looked at her quizzically, but she only smiled and skipped down the hall. I followed her through the door to the library.

Yuna and Olette were already copying a few of the posters, but you could see the tension between them. Yuna looked desperately at the copy machine, willing it to perform faster so she could leave; Olette looked almost the same, with the way she was rapidly pushing the copy button. Kairi immediately flew to their side and grabbed a few copies.

"Hey! I think that's enough, Lette. We'll take it from here," she chirped, winking. Olette smiled in relief and scurried off, snatching the copies from Yuna's hands. The short haired brunette blinked in surprise and watched Olette pass.

"Y-Yuna, it's ok if you go back to lunch. We can handle the rest," Xion muttered, and Yuna nodded before taking her leave. Kairi released a giggle.

"It's so weird how Yuna and Olette hate each other. They both offer such great ideas to the committee, but they just…disagree," she mused, taking Olette's spot by the machine. Xion took a seat on the floor. I decided to grab the papers when they came out.

"I don't like Yuna much either," I admitted, frowning. Xion looked up at me, confused.

"Why don't you like her? Other than the obvious bad attitude she has," she asked.

I shrugged in response. "I've been in every class with her since I was little. She was a bit of a bully to me, always hanging out around Selphie. Selphie hates me because she thinks I brainwash people."

"Why on Earth does she think that?" Kairi asked, raising an eyebrow.

I looked away so they couldn't see my lie. "I don't know."

I couldn't see it, but Kairi shared a look with Xion; it was quick, quiet, and telepathic. They both looked a bit concerned, and I noticed a memory flash across the surface of both their minds simultaneously, but it was too fast for me to catch; I disregarded it and looked up at them to smile in reassurance, but they looked worried.

"Naminé…we heard some rumors. Some really nasty rumors, and we don't want to believe them! Trust us! But…are they true?" Kairi asked quickly as the copy machine's noises ceased. I froze.

"W-what kind of rumors?" I mumbled.

"That…that you can do something with other people's memories. Like, manipulate them," Xion squeaked.

And I knew; right there, at that moment, that I would fall back into my friendless lifestyle. I would have to drop out of the dance committee and walk home alone in shame like before. I'd be that social outcast no one likes. That person you love to hate. I guess all good things have to come to an end.

"It's true."

Kairi and Xion both looked at me, surprised. I looked away, unable to stand looking at their expressions.

"I'm a witch with powers over memories."

* * *

**OH EM GEEEEEEEEE**

**To think after my very, very, very, very, very long break that I'd update THIS story, a ho ho ho! who saw it coming? huh? huuuuuuuuuh?**

**anyways, time for my excuses:**

**I have gymnastics every single day. as a matter of fact, I recently got a full ride scholarship to *a college :P* University, and I've been working hard to keep up my training. plus, I have the biggest meet of my season on Sunday, which is JO NIT, the competition one step below Nationals. (at regionals I had an epic face-plant of floor that I am now famous for in the gymnastics world. .) but the fact that I faceplanted and still made it to NIT means THAT I'M A PRETTY ROCKIN GYMNAST. :D**

**school is still a bitch, of course. my Japanese classes are annoying as Hell. my mom won't STFU. DX**

**anyway, the biggest excuse (I admit) is my own laziness. XD**

**anyway, to all people who are still reading, this is chapter 7. it's a little rushed at the end, but oh well. XD**


	8. I'm Sorry

...

**Hi. :D**

**I know, I know. I haven't been on FF in months, and I've barely been able to keep up with my stories; I just haven't had the same inspiration that I used to have. I've been working on seven stories, SEVEN, but rest assured, I probably won't post half of them because I only work on them to gain inspiration. I have some heavy explaining to do, and I promise you, I have excuses for everything:**

**CHEESECAKE TOPPED WITH GUMMY BEARS: **It's the last chapter! D: I've been having such a hard time trying to figure out how to close this wonderful story, and I've written about twenty scenarios that all don't work. I promise you that I will not, absolutely REFUSE to abandon this story when it's so close to the finale. I just have to work somethings out, then It'll all be over.

**UPS AND DOWNS: **This is actually going much better than Cheesecake, and I've been sneaking little sentences in here and there. The next chapter should (possibly...maybe...not likely...) be up soon.

**WHITE BLOOD: **I am completely tearing this story apart. Starting from scratch, you know? I'll upload it back on FF once I'm completely done with it.

**REFLECTIONS: **Ok, I'll be completely honest here, This story is being abandoned on my computer. XD I still don't know what direction its going to go in, and I haven't been able to work out those little kinks; however, it is coming along, SLOWLY.

**YOU'RE DEAD TO ME: **I've started a rewrite! :D Before you all groan and yell at me for being stupid, I reread the story a few days ago; let me tell you, it SUCKED. bad. So I may or may not post a rewrite, but knowing me, I'll give up halfway and just leave it alone. So don't worry about this one...XD

**BROKEN HEARTS NEVER HEAL: **I haven't really been in a depressive mood, so I haven't had much inspiration to write something heartbreaking.

**THE GAMES:** I've actually been working on this one alot, I just found a little problem; I don't know who I've killed off and who's still alive. XD Once I figure that out, I should be able to upload that story all the time. I have the most inpsiration for that story.

**OTHER: **If you guys like, I'll post little tidbits of those other stories up here so you can read them and give me some feedback on weather or not I should post them. If you want me to, leave a review to let me know.

**I wanted to give you guys at least a little something to show you that I haven't given up; I'm posting this on every story with a preivew of the next chapter. FOR EVERY STORY I'M WRITING. Promise. :D**

**Here you go!**

* * *

Chapter 9: Ups and Downs

I felt like the silence that hung over the three of us lasted an eternity; no one moved, no one breathed. The copy machine had stopped wheezing and a few papers fell lifelessly to the floor. I bit my lip, waiting.

Xion took a deep breath and I heard her swish her hair; she was probably sharing a silent conversation with Kairi. I braced myself for the worst as a hand rested on my shoulder.

"Prove it."

Those two words shocked me; there was no accusation, no finger-pointing, no insults. They wanted proof; I really had misjudged Kairi and Xion. A glimmer of hope bubbled up in my stomach.

But once I prove it to them, would they stay?

I closed my eyes and prepared myself as I entered the flimsy barrier into Kairi's mind. I searched for something only she would know, or something she shared between Xion and herself. After a little digging, I found something.

"Last Thursday, you both found a puppy in the middle of the street. you're secretly taking care of it without your parents knowing, and it's sitting in Xion's closet," I recited blankly. Xion took in a sharp breath and when I opened my eyes, she was looking around.

"Naminé…" she said in a low voice. I braced myself for what was coming next. Something like 'We can't be friends anymore.' or 'you _are_ a freak.' I've heard it all before, so I hope it won't be that bad when they say it…

"Don't say that out loud! It's a secret!" Kairi whispered harshly, clamping a hand over my mouth. My eyes widened in surprise.

"Still…we made sure no one was around when we picked Charlie up," Xion mumbled, pressing the copy button on the machine again. "How did you know?"

I stared at Xion, unable to comprehend the question she had asked me. No one has ever asked me how, let alone said anything past this point. Xion and Kairi were proving to be different.

Different was good…right?

"I told you, I can see memories. Any one of your memories," I mumbled.

"Then how about you tell me what I ate this morning?" Kairi questioned, raising an eyebrow. I looked away and closed my eyes, digging.

"Three pancakes, but you gave one to the puppy. A side of orange juice, and a biscuit that was gravy-less, the way you like it. Xion had scrambled eggs and bacon."

When I opened my eyes, they were staring at me. I braced myself.

"That is so awesome!"

Again, I stared at Kairi. She was starting to seem freakier than I was, and that was saying something. But at the same time, Xion was smiling and nodding; either the two of them were quick to accept, or simply not right in the head. I sighed.

"Don't you realize? I can learn all your deepest secrets in the blink of an eye. I can see every embarrassing moment in your life like a movie. I can _invade your mind_," I emphasized, but Kairi didn't seem to notice. Or care.

"I know you'd never do something like that, Naminé. You're too nice," Xion told me quietly, smiling. I stared at her.

"She's right! You're not a freak because you can see my memories, I'd say that's a pretty nifty gift. Besides, I know you'd never do something to hurt us, we're your friends!"

"You're still…my friends?"

This time, Kairi gave me the odd look. She rolled her eyes and elbowed Xion, who smiled at me in a true, genuine way. They were telling the truth. I didn't have to check their memories to prove it, I could see it in their eyes. They didn't insult me, didn't run, didn't desert me. I was so happy, I could have cried.

Instead, I pulled both of them into a bone-breaking hug; the sisters laughed and returned the gesture, smiling.

"Come on, no more gushy-ness. We have posters to print."


	9. Please Read

Hey loyal readers, this is XShiori-chanX's best friend, Makayla. My account is uwishuknewher. Shiori wanted me to tell everyone that her stories will be on hold for a little while because her computer is currently in the shop for a virus (one that completely shuts down her internet). Don't worry; she will promptly continue her stories once her computer is up and running again!


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